Stand out in a sea of sameness: tips from a marketing expert

Over the past two weeks, we discussed the importance of developing a strong strategy for your business and how to position your brand so you stand out in a sea of sameness. Now it’s time for marketing tactics!

Ready to get to work?

Remember that your website is the home base of all of your marketing efforts. It aggregates all of the information about your business — its mission, core values, culture, services, team bios, services, testimonials, contact information, FAQs — everything! Your website needs to be cultivated so it can bring you the right clients. So which marketing tactics should you use to drive the right kind of traffic to your website? Here are a few I use:

Organic search optimization (SEO) — Include searchable content on your home page and throughout your website. Even if you don’t want “a bunch of text” on your home page, Google does (and your client probably does too), and now that you have a solid strategy in place, it will be easy to write this text. Avoid jargon and include words your customers use to find service providers like you. Think like your perfect client. What challenges do they face that your services address? What questions are they asking online that you can answer, and will lead them to your website?

Direct mail — Ink on paper has more power than ever these days. Printed stationary and a live stamp convey that you are in business to stay, and my direct mail efforts have paid off tremendously. I deliver value (and sometimes even treats) in my letters by sharing my expertise and offering advice.

Blog posts — This works in two ways. First, blog posts are a great way to convey your expertise, and second, they provide search engines like Google and Bing with fresh content to index and improve your page rankings.

Social media — This needs to be done strategically. We use Facebook to convey our culture, Twitter to convey where we are and what we are learning about, and LinkedIn to build credibility. Spending as little as 15 minutes a week engaging with social media and posting updates can really pay off.

Sponsorships — Attending events is a great way to build relationships. For me, the Rockville Chamber of Commerce, Her Corner, EO Accelerator and NAWBO are my go-to groups filled with successful, talented business owners who may be able to connect me with new clients. Sponsoring at networking events can extend your reach even further.

Cold calling — Once you know your niche, cold calling makes way more sense. It’s not as painful as it sounds and it can be highly rewarding. I’ve been known to make cold calls for my other business (millercox.com) that have paid off in years of project work.

Newsletter marketing — Make sure everyone who is on your list truly wants to be there. Once you have accomplished this, you will have a well-qualified marketing list to fill your pipeline. Be sure to deliver value regularly, whether it is weekly, monthly or quarterly.

Marketing is easy once you do the hard work of differentiating your business and choosing a niche. Just remember, “we give great service” is not an effective differentiator!

So there you have it — marketing 101 tips and tactics from a business owner. If you are feeling stuck in the process of developing your brand strategy, marketing plans, or simply how to get a new mobile-friendly website up, maybe we can help. Just email me at [email protected] and let’s chat.

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